Radio cabinet



W. P. LEAR RADIO CABINET June 5, 1945.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filled Aug. 29, 1940 MATTORNEY 11655571945? w. P. LEAR 243779432 -RADIO CABINET Original Filed Aug. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :WllllWllll AA TTORNEY Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE RADIO CABINET William P. Lear, Piqua, Ohio, assignor, by mcsne assignments, to Lear, Incorporated, Piqua, Ohio, a corporation of Illinois Original application August 29, 1940, Serial No. 354,653, now Patent No. 2,309,323, January 26, 1943. Divided and this application December 28, 1942, Serial No. 470,393

3 Claims. (01. 312-7) ers and other electronic equipment. In'accordance with the invention, maximum accessibility, ease of inspection and servicing of the apparatus are provided. Also great rigidity is incorporated in the novel design thereof permitting the use of lighter weight metals in its construction for a given required strength. This factor is particularly advantageous for apparatus to be used aboard an airplane.

The invention of the present application is di- The chassis comprises sub-base r sub-panel Hi having flanges II, II along the longitudinal edges thereof. A series of threaded openings I2 are arranged in flanges II, II for the attachment of side panels to be described. A channeled back plate I5 is secured on one end of sub-base I0, transverse thereto. Back plates l 5 contains flanges It, It projecting inwardly of the chassis, coplaner with flanges II, II. Threaded openings I6 in flanges It, It are also for the attachment of the side panels to the chassis.

vided from my prior application, Serial No. 354-,-

653 filed August 29, 1940, now Patent No. 2,309.-

323 issued January 26, 1943. With the rigid chas-,

sis assemblage of said prior application, the attachment of cabinet panels to the features to which the instant application is particularly directed results in a completed cabinet for the radio set. The top and bottom panels thereof are arranged for ready removal. The side panels are also removed easily. The combined assembly forming the completed cabinet further stiiiens the chassis, and constitutes a desirable and practical structural unit.

Further advantages and objects of the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the chassis.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are perspective views of the chassis in different positions upon a table.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the chassis, assembled with radio components.

Fi 6 is a front View of the assembled chassis and panel.

Fig. 7 is a perspective -view ofthe assembled chassis with the wall and cover panels. I

'Fig. 8 is an enlarged partial sectional .view through the cabinet, taken along the line 88 of Fig. 6, with the handle omitted.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view through the cabinet taken along the line 9-'-9 of Fig. '7.

The chassis is shown in perspective in Fig. 1 without the radio components mounted thereon.

Back plate I5 is secured to sub-base I0 across flange I! thereof containing threaded openings coacting with screws I8. Bracket or gusset plates I9, l9 are welded at the intersection of flanges II and I4, and are coplaner with the flanges. Sub-base I0 is positioned centrally with respect to back panel IS, in the illustrated embodiment.- The relative positioning of base I0 on panel I5 depends upon the relative heights of the radio components on either side of the assembled radio v apparatus, as will be described hereinafter. Back plate I5 is thus rigidly secured to the back end of the sub-base III.

A pair of vertical angle irons 20, 20 is attached to respective corners of the front end of sub-base Ill. The respective sides of angle irons 20, 20 are arranged coplanar with flanges I I and 2I of sub-base III. Toward this end, the flanges are foreshortened at thecorners so that the angle irons may properly fit therein. Angle irons 20, 20, constituting frame members, are welded to sub-base III. at the associated contiguous flange portions, and reenforced in position by corner gusset brackets 22, 22 coplanar with flanges II, I I and the corresponding angles irons 20. 20. Angle irons 20, 20 contain threaded openings 23, 23 for attaching the side panels, and threaded openings 24, 24 for securing front panel 25 to the chassis, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1.

The length of angle irons 20, 20 corresponds to the length of flanges H of back plate l5. Also. angle irons 20 project on either side of sub-base I 0 by amounts corresponding to the respective projections of .the flanges II. The chassis construction in accordance with the invention, and as illustrated in Fig. 1. is a rigid body capable of supporting components of substantial weight. In its normal horizontal position. as in Fig. 1, subbase I 0 is spaced from the table by a predetermined amount corresponding to the highest radio component to be mounted on its under-side. It is to'be understood that a template of openings, mounting positions, etc., is inscribed Or fabricated in sub-base III- for properly predetermining the positioning and interconnecting of the radio components to be mounted and assembled thereon.

The chassis may be stably positioned on its broad back plate wall, or closure l5, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Also, the chassis may be stably positioned on either of its sides, as shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 4, the chassis is shown resting upon its front end, on the front sides of flanges 20, 20. In this manner, direct access to any of the many parts mounted on sub-base leis feasible, and the chassis may be positioned for most convenient examination or operation. This not only permits better concentration on any particular section of a large chassis assembly, but also makesfor improved assembly, speed and quality in production.

Fig. 5 illustrates, as one example, an assembled radio apparatus embodying the chassis arrange-/ ment. The particular apparatus shown is the electronic section of an automobile radio direction finder receiver, containing a dynamotor 25, a plurality of radio tubes 21 and a plurality of shielded radio transformer and coupling units 25, all mounted on the upper side of sub-base Hi. The tallest component in the upper section of the apparatus does not reach broken line 30 definin the position of the top panel for the chassis. The electrical interconnections of the upper components 25, 21, 25 are arranged on the under side of sub-base III.

A connecting cable between the front and rear ends of the chassis is shown at 3|. Unit 32 is a large physical component of the electronic circuit. A gang of variable radio frequency tuning condensers is shown at 53 and 34, interconnected by coupling unit 25. Broken line 35, deflning the position for the bottom panel of the apparatus, is safely below the extended position of the rotatable plates of variable condensers ll, 34. The position of sub-panel l0 with respect to the vertical sides l4 and 25 of the chassis is determined by the necessary spacing between the upper and lower components mounted thereon with respect to the top and bottom panels of the cabinet, as previously indicated.

Front panel 25 is detachably mounted on the front of the chassis by screw members 31 coacting with threaded openings 24 in angle irons 20. The edges of front panel 25 are preferably made to slightly overlap the corresponding sides of the chassis to afford a back-stop for the top, side, and bottom panels. Electrical connection plug 55, loop control motor 39, tuning band motor control unit 45, master on-of! switch 4|, and remote tuning cable connection plug 42' are mounted on panel or wall 25 for mechanical and electrical interconnection with the direction flnder-circuit components mounted on sub-base III. A handle 42 is secured across the front of panel The present application is directed principally to a preferred arrangement for an assembled cabinet embodying the novel chassis features .shown in perspective in Fig. 7. In said arrangement, side panels 43 are secured to the chassis by screws 44 coacting with the corresponding threaded openings l2, l8 and 22 along coplanar flanges I4 and 20 previously described. A top cover 45 is assembled thereon for ready detachment. Cover 45 contains flanges 45 overlapping the sides 43 of the cabinet, and a rear flange 41 having dents 48 arranged to flt over nibs 45 of back plate |5. Nibs 49 are preferably spring biased outwardly. A flange 41 depends from the front of cover 45 for attachmentto front panel 25 by two spaced fastening screw 55. A simple quarter or half turn rotation of screws 54 releases flange 41' from front panel 25 permitting lifting of cover 45, and its sliding backwards for detachment thereof from nibs 49. Such convenient and rapid removal of top cover 45 permits the cabinet to be readily opened for inspection of its upper components.

A bottom cover 5| completes the cabinet construction. Cover 5| is attached in a manner similar to top 45. Dents 52 in flange 53 of bottom 5| coact with spaced nibs 54 on back plate l5, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. A front flange 55 of cover 5| coacts with two spaced fasteners 55, as shown in Fig. 8. Nibs 54 are preferably spring biased outwardly from back plate II, to permit ready engagement thereof with dents 52, 52. Side flanges 51 of bottom cover 5| overlap sides 43 of the cabinet, forming a proper closure therefor.

The respective sides 45, top 45, and bottom 5|, together with front panel 25, when mounted on the chassis, reenforce its strength, and, form a very stiff structure which may be subjected to any stress or mechanical vibration generally encountered in service. The respective chassis and cabinet components are preferably solid sheet metal, although these components may be constructed of other rigid material. The rigid construction thereof permits the use of lighter metals or materials for a given resultant strength .and rigidity. Where the apparatus is used aboard an aircraft, particular advantage is had with the invention construction since aluminum or its alloys may be used therefor. Requisite rigidity and strength may thus be secured with a minimum of weight.

The respective top and bottom covers may be removed very rapidly for inspection of the inside components. Where detail servicing is indicated; side panels 43 are readily detached by removing their attaching screws. Removal of the top, bottom and side panels permits the positioning of the chassis with its components on any side thereof except the front. Detachment of front panel 25 allows stable positioning of the chassis on that side as well. It is to be understood that the chassis and cabinet construction herein disclosed may be applied to any type of electronic or radio type apparatus. Also, the relative position of subbase it with respect to vertical elements I! and 25, constituting legs of the chassis assembly, may be varied as desired.

Although a-preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structural details thereof without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention, as deflned in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: y

1. In a cabinet: a back end closure having side flanges, a front end frame having flanges coplanar with the first flanges, a shelf having its opposite ends integrated with the closure and frame medially thereof, said shelf having side flanges coplanar with the flrst flanges, gusset plates uniting the shelf flanges to the closure side flanges and to the frame flanges, said gusset plates being coplanar with said flanges, a front wall mounted on said frame, opposed side cabinet members seated on the respective side coplanar flanges, and top and bottom cabinet members having flanges embracingly cooperating with the side members and with the front wall and said closure.

2. In a cabinet: front and back rectangular walls having registering side flanges, a shelf having end connections with said walls above the bottom thereof for carrying radio components on both sides thereof, said shelf having side flanges coplanar with the first named flanges, gusset plates uniting the shelf flanges to the first-named flanges and coplanar therewith, opposed side cabinet members seated on the respective coplanar flanges, means attaching said members to the flanges, top and bottom cabinet members having side flanges embracing the margins of the side members, said top and bottom members having end attaching flanges, and means attaching said end flanges to said front and back walls.

3. In a cabinet: opposed end walls having registering side flanges, a shelf having end connections with said walls above the bottom thereof for carrying radio components thereon, said shelf having side flanges coplanar with the first mentioned flanges, gusset plates uniting the shelf flanges to the first-named flanges and coplanar therewith, opposed side cabinet members seated on the respective coplanar flanges, said members and flanges having cooperating apertures therein, fastening elements holdingly disposed in the apertures, top and bottom cabinet members having side edge portions in engaging relation with the side edge portions of said side members, end flanges on said top and bottom members engaging the top and bottom edge portions of said end walls, and means releasably attaching said end flanges to said wall portions.

, WILLIAM P. LEAR. 

